Media news, opinion & analysis • Sections •

Justin Bieber in a penis suit just another day in the office for ZANews

by Herman Manson (@marklives) I’m trying to figure out what the two, ahem, balls attached to the front of the fluffy pink bunny suit could possibly indicate.

“Oh – that was for our Halloween edition. It’s a penis and we put Justin Bieber in it,” says a voice from somewhere to my right.

I’m in the costume room of the only in show in SA that would feature a giant penis sporting the Bieber’s face on air – or as the ZANews website puts it ” the only news show more ghastly than the SABC.” It’s ZANews producer Thierry Cassuto and his teams’ literal take on the boy-man as an over-exposed sex symbol.

ZANews is the satirical puppet show produced online and for TopTV by Cassuto and his team. Jonathan Shapiro (Zapiro) is a business partner in the venture. The day before this interview ZANews won the ‘Best Editorial Team’ category, amongst others, at the digital industry award show the Bookmarks Awards.

The Ad Contrarian: Unsolicited Advice For Large Corporations

by Bob Hoffman (@adcontrarian) It is not enough these days for the overfed fat cats of large corporations to make billions of dollars. Now they want to be loved and admired. Here’s some advice for them and for the poor fools who have to implement their delusional PR and social media plans.

1. When will you be loved? Um…never. I know, people just don’t understand how much good you do and what a wonderful company you are. Oh, and your people are the best! Well, guess what? Nobody gives a sh*t. There are going to be a substantial number of people who think you are a criminal enterprise and that the world would be better off without you. Stop whining and get used to it. It’s the price you pay for being big and successful.

2. Do good things and shut up. It’s fine to speak modestly about the generous things you do, but don’t pound your chest and don’t rub our noses in it. You are expected to do good things. Generosity and community-mindedness are not extra-credit projects, they are your responsibility. Be charitable and generous because they are the right things to do, not because you want bouquets.

3. Put your money where your mouth is. There is a fashion among large corporations and politicians to glorify small business — while they’re stomping all over it. If you really believe in small business, hire them as suppliers. Have an officer whose job it is to identify small companies that can do a better job for you than the big dumb oafs you are currently using. You’ll do a lot more for small businesses by employing them than by your patronizing lip service.

Weekly Top 10: Fastest rising search terms from South Africans on Google

With the help of Google Trends we are publishing the top 10 searched for phrases (minus the sexy stuff of course) by South Africans on Google over the previous seven days.

Riaan Cruywagen’s last news bulletin drew more interest amongst South Africans than the arrival of Lady Gaga for her safari, concerts and accompanying protests. Our weekly list of fast rising web search terms on Google by South Africans show searches for Cruywagen jumped 650% while searches for Lady Gaga jumped 400%.

Magazine covers we love – Naomi Campbell & Kate Moss causes a stir(ring)

MarkLives.com runs a regular slot featuring the best local and international magazine covers every week. We recognise well thought out, powerful and interesting (and hopefully all three in one) magazine covers and celebrate the mix of pragmatism, creativity and personal taste that created each of them.

Mercedes-Benz launches online lifestyle magazine

by Herman Manson (@marklives) Mercedes-Benz South Africa has launched a new online lifestyle content portal called mblife . It has appointed its existing content marketing agency, New Media, to manage the new digital initiative.

Adelle Horler, content director at New Media, says the new site is a departure from the norm for a South African motoring brand, and aims to reflect the lifestyle interests of current and future Merc fans rather than have a focus on motoring. New Media also produces a print title for Mercedes-Benz and a digimag.

The new website takes the digizine further along its evolution towards a daily updated online lifestyle magazine. It is part of a strategy to engage with a younger, edgy audience and take the brand beyond those already driving a Mercedes.

Weekly Top 10: Fastest rising search terms from South Africans on Google

With the help of Google Trends we are publishing the top 10 searched for phrases (minus the sexy stuff of course) by South Africans on Google over the previous seven days.

The 2012 Tax filing drew to a close on Friday and searches for and about the SARS efiling system dominates our list for fast rising web search terms on Google by South Africans. End of the month and the upcoming holiday season seems to have given retailers a boost – Pick n Pay, Game stores and Woolworths all headed higher in the fast rising searches list.
Fast rising searches
psl +150%
sars efiling +150%
efiling +140%
sars +90%
pick n pay +60%
computicket +50%
game stores +50%
supersport +50%
weather cape town +50%
woolworths +50%

How to direct a dictator (as told by Dean Blumberg)

by Kim Penstone Creating empathy for a man such as Robert Mugabe is no easy feat. But that was the task put to Dean Blumberg by agency Black River FC and client Nando’s.

Magazine covers we love … featuring Obama 2.0

Weekly Top 10: Fastest rising search terms from South Africans on Google

With the help of Google Trends we are publishing the top 10 searched for phrases (minus the sexy stuff of course) by South Africans on Google over the previous seven days.

The massive fire that burned down dozens of homes at St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape made the list of fastest rising web searches several times over as did the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge which took place yesterday. The release of computer game “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2,” released on Nov. 13, also made the list.
Fast rising searches
gmail login access Breakout
black ops 2 +300%
st francis bay +250%
94.7 cycle challenge +200%
st francis fire +190%
diwali +180%
94.7 +80%
junk mail +50%
clicks +40%
die burger +40%

ABC Analysis Q3 2012: Bad news for newspapers gets worse

Last ABC Period: July 2012 to September 2012

The ABC has released circulation statistics for the period July 2012 to September 2012. Here are a couple of numbers that stood out in terms of newspaper circulations.

Note: We compare the current figures with the same figures for this time last year and not with the previous quarter.

Daily newspapers

The Cape Argus lost a huge chunk of circulation falling to 33,006 from 45,128 for the corresponding period last year. The Cape Times tried to equal the nose dive falling to 34,523 from 43,274. Pretoria News fell to 19,235 from 23,148 and The Star to 105,686 from 136,552. Anybody still bidding for Independent News & Media South Africa? Seriously?

Daily Sun continued its decline to 336,319 from 374,400. Son fell to 94,610 from 103,056, Sowetan to 101,155 from 116,347. Beeld dropped to 70,070 from 76,951.

Isolezwe bucked the trend to climb slightly to 107,628 from 106,734.

MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

1. Daily Sun 336,319
2. The Times** 138626
3. Isolezwe 107,628
4. The Star 105,686
5. Sowetan 101,155
6. Son 94,610
7. Beeld 70,070
8. The Citizen 66,116
9. Die Burger (Wes Kaap) 51,022
10. Business Day 35,828